Devotees have returned from Vrindavan parikrama. Everything went happily and
smoothly. They visited so many places.

Before, Gurudev would take Guru Maharaj and all the pilgrims to many places,
and after Guru Maharaj's time, when Gurudev went to foreign countries, we
continued doing the tours every year. Now too, after Gurudev's disappearance,
by the mercy of the Guru, Vaishnav, Bhagavan, we are continuing the
parikramas every year. It is only for preaching: we take people to various
places, tell them about the Pastimes of Lord Krishna, Radharani, about the
Pastimes of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Govinda Sundar, the Pastimes of
Giriraj Govardhan. In this way we do Vrindavan parikrama every year and our
preaching movement is going on everywhere.

Also Tyagi Maharaj came back. I heard from him that he also made nice
programmes all over the world. He is very happy to get energy through
devotees' practising life, and you also have got some energy through his
preaching.

Are there any questions from you?

Devote: Today we are making an event downtown and we are going to
distribute prasad to the people...

That is good, but it will be even better if you distribute Krishna-katha,
Govinda-katha, Guru-katha, Gaura-katha to the people—then they will be
more benefitted. You can distribute prasadam and they will get a little
benefit, but if we distribute Krishna-katha, Gaura-katha, Govinda-katha, that
will bring more benefit to them. If they hear Krishna-katha, get some
sadhu-sanga, they will get relief from birth and death, that is why it is
necessary to distribute Krishna-katha and clean their hearts—make a
temple in their hearts! That is good.

You can distribute prasadam, no problem, but if along with the prasadam they
chant the Holy Name, hear some Krishna-katha, that will be good.

Devotee: A devotee is asking what she can do—she is
passing a difficult situation in her life. Even knowing the scriptures, she
still finds herself in a difficult situation...

She must remember Pariksit Maharaj. He got a notice that he had to leave his
body within seven days, so how much difficulty did he have to go through?
I think she is not facing this kind of problem. We are all suffering, but we
can get relief through service to the Lord, through full surrender to
Him—this is the only way to get relief. Why are we suffering? Because
we forget Krishna, we forget our Guru. We think we can maintain
ourselves—it is our ego. We want to enjoy everything, want to taste
everything, but we are not the proprietor. Krishna is the proprietor. You
must think in this way, then you will get relief from everything. Do you
understand?

Devotee: What is the best line of behaviour when we have some
difficulties in the dealings with the devotees?

You must be humble, tolerant, and give honour to others. If somebody
chastises you or uses bad language, you are not to do that in return. Give
honour to others and leave your ego. If you are cutting a branch of a tree,
the trees gives you shadow, and you must be like this too. Who is the perfect
person to chant the Holy Name?

Humility, compassion, honouring others, and giving up prestige—become
qualified with these four qualities and chant the Name.

Those who are kind, not cruel, who do not think for their own self interest,
who always give their life to others. You must give shelter to Radha-Krishna,
Gurudev within your heart, and you can understand how wide you must open your
heart to do that...

পর-উপকারে নিজ-সুখ পাসরিবে ॥

para-upakare nija-sukha pasaribe

It means you must throw your own happiness, your own life into the Ganges for
the benefit of others. Srila Bhakti Vinod Thakur wrote this.

Do not be selfish. Svartha-para, selfishness; pratihimsa, somebody chastises
you and treats you bad, and you show the same behaviour towards
them—this is not the religion of Mahaprabhu. If you are humble and
sacrifice for the sake of others, then you can harmonise everything. If you
are selfish, cruel, and angry, you will never harmonise with anybody.

Be humble, tolerant, and give honour to others, in this way you can harmonise
with everything.

Devotee: We engage in many devotional activities, but how can we
know these activities are seva?

You can always understand it—if it pleases your Guru, then it is seva;
if it does not please your Guru, it is karma. Seva and karma look the same.
If you do karma, reaction will come, but there is no reaction if you do
seva.

Devotee: How can we get devotion despite so many difficulties in
the environment? How can we develop devotion?...